Integrated optoelectronic fiber for transurethral surgery with simultaneous laser and electrovaporization

Lasers and electricity are commonly used energy sources in urological surgery. They all have both advantages and disadvantages in tissue removal efficiency and hemostasis, and it is difficult for them to replace one another in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop a special surgical tool which can simultaneously transmit high-power laser energy and conduct electricity for urologic surgical procedures. Since this tool integrates the function of conducting laser and electrical energy through a laser fiber, we call it integrated fiber. As a product of this study, the integrated fiber can connect with a thulium laser and a bipolar plasma generator simultaneously. Using this fiber, an ex vivo simulation of transurethral vaporization of porcine kidney tissues was conducted. In terms of tissue removal efficiency, the laser-plasma and the plasma group showed the highest and the lowest, respectively. For thermal damage, there was no significant difference between the laser-plasma and laser group. Though a prototype, with this integrated fiber, the combined laser-plasma energy can vaporize kidney tissue more efficiently without additional thermal damage. This integrated dual-functional laser-electric optical fiber shows good application prospects in urological surgery.